ASPECTOS ECOLÓGICOS DE UNA COLONIA DE LA HORMIGA (Atta laevigata) (FORMICIDAE: HYMENOPTERA) EN CERRO COLORADO, CUMANÁ, VENEZUELA

Abstract

RESUMEN: Se investigaron aspectos ecológicos de una colonia de la hormiga cortadora de follaje (Atta laevigata) en cerro Colorado, Cumaná, estado Sucre. Se determinó una correlación positiva significativa entre el número de individuos que salían y los que regresaban a la cueva; sin embargo, no se obtuvo una correlación significativa entre los que salían del nido y los que regresaban con carga. A pesar de ello, la proporción de obreras que regresaban al nido con carga vegetal resultó tres veces superior a las que entraban sin carga. Tampoco se determinó correlación entre el peso de los individuos y el de la carga que transportaban en su regreso al nido. Estimaciones basadas en conteos de pesos transportados por hormigas en tiempos de 2, 4 y 6 minutos, indican que ingresan al nido 0,003 g/minuto de materia vegetal. ABSTRACT: Some ecological aspects of a colony of leaf-cutting ant (Atta laevigatta) nesting in Cerro Colorado, Cumaná, were evaluated. There was a significant and positive correlation between the number of ants that came out and returned to the nest, but there was not a significant correlation between the number of ants that came out and returned carrying vegetable material; however, there was not a significant correlation between the number leaving the nest and those that returned with a vegetable load. In spite of this, there was a ratio three times higher for carrying ants to non-carrying ones. Neither was there a significant correlation between the weight of ants and that of the vegetable material transported back to the nest. Estimations based in the weight transported by ants in time intervals of 2, 4 and 6 minutes indicated that 0,003 g/minute of vegetable material is carried into the nest.